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Garvey-Viehl-Kelley House

769 Samuels Ave. - 1884-85; 1890's; restoration & addition 2018

  • The Garvey-Viehl-Kelley House Before
    The Garvey-Viehl-Kelley House before restoration
  • The Garvey-Viehl-Kelley House after restoration
    The Garvey-Viehl-Kelley House after restoration
  • The Garvey-Viehl-Kelley House at Night
    The Garvey-Viehl-Kelley House at Night
  • The Garvey-Viehl-Kelley House Stairway
    The Garvey-Viehl-Kelley House Stairway
  • Stained Glass Windows at The Garvey-Viehl-Kelley House
    Stained Glass Windows at The Garvey-Viehl-Kelley House

Historic Designations:

Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
City of Fort Worth Historic and Cultural Landmark

 

This large Queen Anne Victorian home was built for Lulu Foster Garvey and William B. Garvey. Mrs. Garvey was the granddaughter of Baldwin L. Samuel. The Garveys both died in 1915 and the house was given to the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Buckner Orphans Home. Mr. & Mrs. R.C. Viehl purchased the home in 1918 and lived there until Mrs. Viehl passed away in 1958. Two accessory buildings were built in the rear of the property between 1918 and 1938. The house went through various owners and was purchased in 1972 by Brenda & Gordan Kelley. The surviving Kelley Brothers sold the property to Embrey Partners, LTD who amassed several other historic homes along the Trinity River Bluff. Embrey developed the property into apartments and have converted the house into the office and clubhouse for The Kelley at Samuels Avenue. Embrey worked with Historic Fort Worth, Inc. to save this house and to move the Talbott-Wall House to a safer location within the Samuels Avenue Neighborhood.

The house is 2 1/2 stories in height and is clad in wood ship-lap siding. The foundation is clad in limestone, as are the piers to the porch columns. A bell shaped domed tower, or turret, sits on the southeast corner of the house. A rounded stair tower with stained glass windows is located on the north side. The portion that you see facing the street is actually an addition to the original house. That original portion was only one story and was located in the rear, and served as the kitchen after the addition was constructed. The main portion of the house was built in the 1890's. The original house was demolished as a part of the conversion of the home for commercial uses. In its place, a two story addition was constructed for more space. The two accessory buildings were also demolished to make room for the apartments.

 

Architectural Style:

Queen Anne Victorian

Restoration Architect:

Fender|Andrade Architects, Fort Worth

Category:

Office Building/Clubhouse; Formerly Residential